Wheel-rim.



E. LAURENT.

WHEEL RIM.

APPLIOATION FILED JULY 10, 1912.

Patented July 28, 1914 2 BHEET8-BHEET 1.

WI'Zheases:

40' another embodiment of the invention.

5 expanded segment 3 is housed.

EUGENE LAURENT, E s'r. ETIENNE, LOIRE, FRANCE.

WHEEL-RIM.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented J til 28, 1914.

Application filed July 16, 1912. Serial No. 709,807.

Loire, in the Republic of France, have invented certain new and usefulImprovefinents YVhcel-Rims, of which the follow- ;ing'is a.specification.

My invention relates to rims for wheels of road vehicles, and has forits object to provide an improved separable or divisible rim which whenin use will facilitate the operation of removing or replacing the wheeltire.

In orderto facilitate the appreciation of my invention I have appendedhereto two sheets of drawings upon which two preferred embodiments of myinvention are illustrated.

Figure-1 is a section showing the mechanism of the rim with itspneumatic tire, the

security bolt occupying its locking position. Fig. 2 is a similar viewthe tire being removed and the bolt open to permit of displacing thesegment which enables the movable portion of the rim to be separatedfrom the fixed portion. Fig. 3 is a section on the line 3'3 in Fig. 2showing the lock ng mechanism of the segment in the position enablingthe movable portion to be separated $0 from the fixed portion of the rimfor the removal of the tire. Fig. 4 is a similar section showing thesegment fitted into the movable portion of the rim and also a section ofthe closing plug obturating the aperture 85 through which the segment isacted upon.

Fig. 5 represents the segment open. Fig. 6 is a plan of the securitybolt and of its operating pinion. Figs. 7 to 10 are v ews correspondingto Figs. 1 to 1 and illustiate 1g. '11 is a section on the line 11-11 inFig 7. Fig. 12 is a section on the line 12-12 in Fig. 10. Fig. 13 is aplan of the bolt iixmg the leveron the rim. Fig. 1% is a section on the46 line'1414 of Fig. 13.

50 which is mounted on the telly l provided with the usual lip or flange1" for the reception of the heading of the tire. and on the other sideof the metal is shaped to provide a U-shaped groove 1 in which thenormally 'lhe separable rim part 2 isprovidcd with the usual Ilange 52'for engagement with the head of the t1re. The fixed rim part 1 is alsoprovided with a projecting ledge in which'a small groove 13 is formedcarrying a layer 13' of india rubber, lcather or other plastic mater al.This plastic material forms a secure oint preventing the penetration ofdust, mud or foreign bodies into the housing for the mechanism and thesegment. Pivotally connected to one extremity of. the segment 3 is alever 18, which is connected to the other segment extremity by means ofa link or rod 17. To positively lock the seg' ment in its expandedposition I provide a sliding bolt or bolts 12, movable within the guides6, whichbolts are normally urged betwecfii the segment 3 and theb'ottomof the groove 1 by means of suitable springs 8. The springs 8 areinserted in'to'the aides 6 from the end of the same which is c used bymeans of a screwed plug 7, against which plug the spring 8 bears. Thebolts 12 are provided with rack teeth along one side which are engagedby pinions 5 carried by rotatable keys 11 so that the sliding bolts 12may be retracted at will against the action of the springs 8. To lockthe bolt 12 in its retracted position projections upon therotatablediolt 11 are forced into recesses or slots 24: A plug or plate'21 is provided for closing the space within which the lever 18 andconnected parts operate. This plate 21 is provided with materialQO formaking a secure joint, and is' maintained in position by meansof a nut 2upon a pin 23 which is provided ivith a projection for engaging with thefixed rim part. The operation of this form of my invention is asfollows: 'hen it is rlesii'cd to remove the tire from the wheel for the'urpose of repair or the like. the keys IIfare operated to retract thesliding bolts 12 so that the segment 3 can be restricted. The plug orplate 21 is then re: moved and the lever 18 is moved until it assumesthe position shown in Fig. 3, which; by reason of the connection 17,draws the ends of the segment 3 together and thus restricts thecircumference of such segment and thcrebv releases the separable rimpart This rim part 2 may then'he removed and the pneumatic tire can thenbe drawn oil without dilliculty. The operation of assembling the rimpart is the reverse of the above operation and will be understoodwithout further tlest-"iption.

In the embodiment of theinvention illustrated in Figs. 7 to 14 thedevice for operating the segment 3* comprises a control lever 18 pivotedat 18' and comprising at 18 a strong closing device producing a goodjoint. A slide block 18 is provided Whichenables the double rod 17 tomove in the longitudinal slot 18" formed therein. The

closing means comprises a plate 29 having a shown at Fig. 10, the plate29 occupies such a position that the knob 30 coincides with the medianplane of the said lever 18. The rods 17 are connected to one extremityof the segment 3 and a link or rod 27 is con nected to the otherextremity, which link 27 is also pivotally connected to the rods 17*.These connections are so arranged that on the operation of the lever 18"the rod 2? draws the extremity of the segment 3 and reduces thecircumference of same, while the rods 17 exercise a similar action.combined with a. further action, at right angles thereto, which servesto press the extremity of the segment to which it is connected againstthe bottom of the groove 1 in the fixed rim part 1". This movement ofthe operating lever thus serves to free the separable rim part which canthen beremoved.

The operation Of this modified form of in v invention is as follows:Assuming the operating lever 18 is occupying the closing position (Fig.10), the hook 28 is released by the operator by pulling the knob 30 awayfrom the hook. 1 The lever 18 is then rocked and caused to assume theposition indicated in Fig. 9 in which position it is retained by thehook 31. During this operation the rods 17 and 27 under the influence ofthe lever 18 act upon the end iof the segment 3 and bring them to thebottom of the groove 1 The detachable rim part 2 is thus released andthere is no ditliculty in removing or re fitting the pneumatic the,which is finally secured by replacing the detachable rim part 2 andreturning the lever 18 to the position shown in Fig. 10.

upon the outer edges 1 and l of the hens in of th segment 3 in the'roove 1 The 1, insect outer joint cover '2 of the said detachable rimpart 2 assists in the formation of a good joint which is. however,insured by the joint 13f contained in the groove 13;

What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United Statesis 1. A wheel rim comprising in combina tion a fixed rim part, said rimpart being formed to provide a substantially U-shaped groove at one edgeof the said part, the outer wall of the said groove being nearer to theaxis of the wheel than that portion of the rim part upon which the tirecarried. a projecting ledge from the said rim part, a layer of packingmaterial upon the said. projecting ledge, a separable rim part. aninwardly projecting flange from the said separable rim part adaptedto-bcar against the said outer wall of the said groovman extension ofthe said inwardly nojecting flange adapted to press upon the said layerof packing material upon the said projecting ledge, a segment adapted tofit within the groove in the movable rim part, pivoted lever means forexpanding the said segment to lock the part in assembled relation. andmeans for \vedging the said expanded segment in position within the saidgroove in the said movable rim part.

A wheel rim comprising in combination ativcd rim part formed with agroove at one edge of the same. a flange on the outer wall of the saidfixed rim part, a fluent, and means "for expanding and ivedg 1g the saidsegment within the groove in the inner face of the movable rim part.compri ing an operating lever formed with a longitudinal slot, a pair oflevers connected at one of each of their extremities to one end of thesaid segment, their other extremities being connected by a pin slidingwithin the said slot, a link connected at one end to said pair oflevers, its other end being attached to the. other extremity of thesegment and a block carried on the inner face oi the said operatinglever adapt-ed when the segment is expanded to engage the 'underface ofthe 7 said link and maintain the same and consequently the Si gmcnt. inposition ivithin the said groove in theniovahle iin part p In testimonywhereof i aliix my gi ature in presence of two witnesses.

